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BREEZES 

By  ^ 

LUCY  G IBBONS  MORSE 


CHAUNCEY  WETMORE  WELLS 

1872-1933 


This  book  belonged  to  Chauncey  Wetmore  Wells.  He  taught  in 
Yale  College,  of  which  he  was  a  graduate,  from  1897  to  1901,  and 
from  1 90 1  to  1933  at  this  University. 

Chauncey  Wells  was,  essentially,  a  scholar.  The  range  of  his  read- 
ing was  wide,  the  breadth  of  his  literary  sympathy  as  uncommon 
as  the  breadth  of  his  human  sympathy.  He  was  less  concerned 
with  the  collection  of  facts  than  with  meditation  upon  their  sig- 
nificance. His  distinctive  power  lay  in  his  ability  to  give  to  his 
students  a  subtle  perception  of  the  inner  implications  of  form, 
of  manners,  of  taste,  of  the  really  disciplined  and  discriminating 
mind.  And  this  perception  appeared  not  only  in  his  thinking  and 
teaching  but  also  in  all  his  relations  with  books  and  with  men. 


BREEZES 


BREEZES 


By  LUCY 
GIBBONS 
MORSE 


HOUGHTON  MIFFLIN 

COMPANY 

1921 


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IN  MEMORIAM 


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COPYRIGHT,  I921,  BY  LUCY  G.  MORSE 
ALL  RIGHTS  RESERVED 


TO  MY  GRANDCHILDREN 


FOREWORD 

BY   AMY  LOWELL 

This  is  a  book  of  wind  and  leaves  —  wind  and  leaves  and  a 
most  charming  imagination.  The  pictures  are  done  in  black 
and  white,  but  all  tlie  fresh,  bright  colour  of  a  Summer's 
day  seems  to  flash  from  the  pages.  Here  are  the  pine-trees 
which  crowd  along  the  sandy  shores  of  Cape  Cod,  the  wood- 
bine which  twines  over  the  porches  and  round  the  windows 
of  the  white  houses,  the  thistles,  and  clover,  and  sorrels  of 
the  open  pastures  above  the  lo\v  bluft's  ;  and  here  are  the 
winds  which  play  through  them,  from  the  slow,  almost  im- 
perceptible lift  of  air  which  seems  scarcely  to  move  the  pine- 
needles,  to  the  swift,  hurrying  gusts  which  set  all  the  branches 
sweeping  and  swaying.  Mrs.  Morse  must  have  watched 
trees  for  hours  to  capture  these  moods  of  wind  among  them 
as  she  has  done,  and  to  embody  them  in  the  little  people  of 
her  fancy. 

For,  if  we  look  closely,  we  shall  see  that  it  is  just  the  little 
figures  which  give  the  calm  or  windy  feeling  to  the  picture. 
What  produces  the  hushed  atmosphere  of  the  "Evening 
Hymn"  picture  but  the  attitudes  of  the  two  little  girls? 
Why  is  the  ''  Hide-and-Seek  in  the  Clover  "  so  hot  and  still  ? 

[  vii  ] 


FOREWORD 

I  think  it  is  the  little  boy  scratching  his  head  under  that  very 
quiet  clover-top  which  is  so  obviously  heavy  with  heat.  Take 
the  suspense  when  the  breezes  hear  the  call  in  the  pine-tree ; 
it  is  all  in  the  little  girl's  outstretched  hands  and  lifted,  ex- 
pectant head.  The  wind  begins  to  rise  as  the  breezes  follow 
the  piper  —  why  ?  Because  of  the  eager,  running  legs.  Watch 
the  gale  come  up  through  the  "  grand  play  "  series  :  In  what 
a  gust  do  the  breezes  scurry  down  the  woodbine ;  what  a 
tremendous  slant  and  rush  of  wind  is  there  in  the  dive  of 
the  "bold  draught"  (and  what  a  splendid,  hobbledehoy 
name  for  him,  to  be  sure!);  what  a  blowing  every  which 
way  in  the  running,  swinging  figures  of  the  "Wild  Frolic," 
one  can  positively  feel  the  wind  against  one's  face  !  Then 
the  sleepy  breezes  as  the  wind  dies  down,  followed  by  the 
complete  stillness  of  the  final  picture,  typified  by  the  utterly 
relaxed  and  motionless  little  person  huddled  against  the  twig 
stem. 

Outdoors  set  to  a  wonderful  fairy  tune  indeed !  And  these 
designs  are  extraordinary  in  their  sheer  originality  ;  they  are 
as  new  as  they  are  beautiful,  as  enchanting  as  they  are  (now 
that  we  have  seen  them)  inevitable.  I  can  think  of  no  illus- 
trations for  children,  done  in  America,  half  so  delightful  as 
these ;  but  perhaps  the  best  tribute  is  the  unconscious  one 
of  a  little  boy  of  five  who,  as  they  lay  on  my  writing-table, 
begged  to  be  shown  them  again  and  again,  and  never  tired 

[  viii  ] 


FOREfFORD 

of  listening  to  the  captivating,  inconsequent  little  stories  in 
which  Mrs.  Morse  tells  about  them. 

For  years  now,  the  author  has  been  making  these  pic- 
tures into  lampshades  ;  but  to  the  many  people  who  knew 
and  admired  them  in  that  form  it  seemed  a  hazardous  thing 
that  such  beautiful  \vork  should  find  its  only  expression  in 
so  perishable  a  medium.  These  friends  finally  persuaded 
Mrs.  Morse  to  let  them  be  published  in  a  book,  and  this 
rare  and  wholly  bewitching  little  volume  is  the  result.  I  should 
wish  that  I  were  looking  at  these  silhouettes  for  the  first  time, 
were  I  not  so  glad  to  be  doing  so  for  at  least  the  thousand 
and  first.  Every  evening,  when  the  lamps  are  lit,  these  little 
figures  come  back  to  me  anew,  and  I  never  wear}-  of  them ; 
on  the  contrary,  the  more  I  look,  the  more  I  want  to  look. 
They  will  now  find  the  larger  public  that  they  deserve,  and 
also,  I  believe,  the  great  public  of  the  future,  which  they 
also  deserve. 


BREEZES 


'   i   ^i  t 


BREEZES 


Hush!  A  breeze  stirs  the  pine-needles  a7id  whispers  to 
the  twigs,  A  tiny  hoy  breeze  nestles  against  his  brother 
and  they  are  listening.   The  pine-tree  siyigs. 

Other  breezes  gather  and  rock  the  branches.  "  Gently !  '* 
says  the  pine-tree.  ^'This  is  the  children' s  sleepy  hour  and 
you  breezes  must  sing  in  harmony,  keeping  time  and  tune. 
The  cries  of  the  gulls  and  crows  have  ceased,  the  young 
birds  are  asleep  in  their  nests. 


•     «      «    t  ,  c    t       c 


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BREEZES 


and  there  is  sweet  music  somewhere,  like  a  cradle  song." 


c  4  : 


BREEZES 


A  little  breeze  was  so  happy  one  day  that,  wherever 
she  went,  she  ran  zvith  all  her  ?mght.  She  ran  till  her 
legs  ached.  "  J^ever  mind,''  said  the  pine-tree ;  '^sit  on 
one  of  my  branches  and  rock  zvhile  I  tell  you  a  story.''  But 
she  was  too  tired  to  listen  and  was  fast  asleep  before  she 
had  rocked  a  minute. 


C      6     ] 


BREEZES 


One  evening  Tommy  was  restless  after  going  to  bed 
and  lay  awake  a  long  time  listening  to  the  wind  in  the 
pine-tree  outside.  Presently  the  soujid  seemed  to  change 
to  soft  voices  singing.  He  grew  drowsy,  and  in  a  little 
while  he  went  fast  asleep. 

It  was  Lull  and  Whisper  singing  their  evening  hymn. 


C      8      3 


A  WAKING   THISTLE 

*'  I  am  sure  it  is  too  early  to  get  up.  It  is  too  dark  for 
me  to  see,  and  I  am  so  sleepy  /"  says  Rustle. 

"  Go  to  sleep  again,'  says  Velvet,  "  and  Fll  call  you 
at  sunrise.'' 

Rustle  is  sound  asleep  again  in  a  minute. 

<<  She  's  lazy,"  says  Brisk.  "  There  's  light  over  there," 
he  adds,  pointing  to  the  eastern  sky,  ^'  and  I'm  going  to 
wake  the  daisies." 

"  Oh,  dear!  "  sighs  Velvet,  "•  I  wish  I  hadn't  prom- 
ised to  call  Rustle, " 


L  lo  ] 


BREEZES 


"/  tell  you,  Prickle/*  Sough  is  saying,  "/  heard  a 
mermaid  sing,  I  heard  her  down  on  the  beach,  with  my 
own  ears,  and  I  saw  her  with  my  ozvn  eyes,  rolling 
among  the  little  breakers  while  the  tide  was  rising.'' 

"  Stuff! ''  says  Prickle.  "  It  was  Barbie  singing, '  The 
Sun  Shines  Jfow.'  She  was  splashing  about  between  the 
verses  and  having  a  grand  time.'' 

Ptickle  is  very  determined,  so  Sough  is  silent,  but  she 
will  always  believe  it  was  a  mermaid. 


C      12     ] 


BREEZES 


*^0h.  Feather!''  cried  Tussle.  "Where  have  you 
been  ?  I've  hunted  everywhere  for  you.'' 

Feather  heaved  a  big  sigh  and  said  pitifully : "  I  got  lost 
in  this  woodbine  and  the  tendrils  caught  me  and  would 
not  let  me  go,  and,  oh.  Tussle !  "  she  moaned,  <*  /  am  so 
tired — so  very,  very  tired  I  " 

^^JVell,  never  mind — don't  cry,"  said  Tussle,  rock- 
i?tg  half  an  instant,  and  then,  catching  Feather's  hand, 
he  sprang  up  beside  her,  saying  comfortingly :  "  JsTow  you 
are  safe  and  I'll  take  you  to  a  pine-tree  where  you  shall 
rest:' 


[     14    ] 


BREEZES 


fVaft  was  sitting  on  the  soft  petals  of  a  thistle-jlower 
playing  a  merry  dance  on  his  flute, 

'' Oh,  JVaftf'  cried  Flutter,  hurrying  to  the  spot. 
''Let  me  dance  to  that  tune.  My  feet  won't  keep  still 
while  you  play  it.'' 

'*  l^^ou  HI  get  into  the  pricks,''  said  JV aft,  as  she  sprang 
up  and  lighted  on  a  hare  stem. 

JVaft  was  fidl  of  mischief  and  played  a  dozen  tunes, 
changing  suddenly  from  fast  to  slow,  two-step  and  waltz- 
time,  gay  and  solemn  tunes.  But  Flutter  changed  her 
motions  with  the  first  note  of  each  and  did  not  once  get 
into  the  pricks. 

''How  did  you  learn  it?"  asked  JVaft. 

"I  looked  through  the  window  on  Sally' s piazza  and 
saw  her  do  it,"  said  Flutter,  Then  she  ran  away,  laughing. 


I  16  :i 


BREEZES 


J^ohody  knows  all  the  things  the  breezes  do.  They  are 
never  idle.  Early  and  late  they  are  always  busy.  They 
go  softly  in  at  open  windozvs  and  squeeze  through  every 
chink  and  crack.  They  find  sick  children  in  their  beds 
and  cool  their  little  hot  cheeks. 

And  sometimes  they  blow  away  little  hot  tempers. 


I    18    2 


BREEZES 


A  little  breeze  hid  in  the  clover,  but  another  one  found 
him  in  no  time. 


C    20   ;] 


Ruffle  is  telling  Flurry  how  Tommy  and  his  little  sister 
were  playing  in  a  rowhoat  on  the  beach  when  a  sudden 
squall  and  the  tide  sent  the  boat  adrift.  ''  It  was  going 
right  out  to  sea,''  said  Ruffle,  ''but  the  contrary  winds 
blew  it  back  upon  the  beach,  blew  the  children  out,  rolling 
on  the  sand,  and  blew  their  legs  every  which  way  while 
they  blew  'em  home.'* 


C      22      ] 


BREEZES 


Hark!  fVas  that  a  call? 

There  was  a  rustle  in  the  tree,  and  it  seemed  as  if  a 
voice  cried:  ** See  who  comes!" 


C    24    ] 


BREEZES 


Some  breezes  in  the  next  tree  stood  quite  still,  won- 
dering who  it  could  be. 


C    36    3 


BREEZES 


In  a  minute  there  was  a  leap  and  a  swing,  and  a 
strange  young  breeze  sprang  from  one  tree  into  another y 
skipping  and  dancing  along  branches  and  through  the  air 
with  wonderful  grace.  Without  stopping  he  took  from  his 
pocket  a  silver  pipe  and  began  to  play  magic  music. 


c  28  n 


BREEZES 


All  the  little  breezes  who  heard  the  music  cried  to  one 
another,  ^^  Comer'  and  they  had  to  follow  the  piper. 


I  30  -} 


BREEZES 


It  is  Halloween  and  witches  are  out.  These  are  Eeery, 
Airy,  Gallop,  and  Flight,  practicing  tricks  and  telling 
one  another  of  their  doings. 

Eeety,  laughing,  says:  ^'Oh,  the  fun  I  had!  I  was 
outside  Tommy's  house  just  as  he  zvas  going  off  with  his 
Jack-o'-lantern,  and  Betty  was  running  out  of  the  door 
after  him.  Their  scarey  grandmother  tried  to  stop  her,  hut 
I  blew  her  cap  over  her  spectacles  and  squealed  through 
the  crack  of  the  door  in  time  to  let  the  child  get  out  of 
her  reach.  PFhat  have  you  been  doing.  Sister  Gallop^'' 

"  Racing  roujid  and  round  Farmer  Crosstick  and  blow- 
ing away  his  breath  so  he  couldn't  stop  the  boys'  fun," 
says  Gallop. 

Flight  says  :  ''  Airy  and  I  had  a  gra?id  time. 


C     32     ] 


BREEZES 


We  got  the  pipers  to  play  their  liveliest  tunes. 


C     34     3 


BREEZES 


and  set  children  to  dancing  all  along  the  road." 


C    36    ] 


BREEZES 


These  breezes  are  having  a  grand  play.  The  one  climb- 
ing  up  calls  to  them :  "  Only  wait  until  I  get  there  and 
we  'II  have  a  regular  rumpus !  '* 


C    38    3 


BREEZES 


A  westerly  breeze  cried :  ''  There  's  a  hurry-skurry  on 
the  cliff!  Quicky  if  you  don't  want  to  miss  it!'' 


I  40  ;] 


BREEZES 


A  bold  draught  rushed  through  the  top  of  a  pine-tree 
and  dived  into  the  midst  of  the  rumpus. 


[  42  :] 


BREEZES 


There  the  breezes  gathered  in  a  wild  frolic,  making 
such  a  rushing  and  roaring  and  hubbub 


C    44    ] 


BREEZES 


that  soon  they  were  all  tired  out. 


c  46  n 


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